Man indicted for vehicular homicide in death of girl, 9

January 18, 2013

LISBON - Nine open indictments and one superseding indictment were issued by the Columbiana County Common Pleas Court grand jury this week, including one for a man accused of killing a 9-year-old girl by hitting her with his vehicle on State Street in Salem and then driving away.

Todd R. Roberts, 28, Thomas Road, Lisbon, is charged with vehicular homicide and failure to stop after an accident or collision, both third degree felonies. According to court documents, Roberts is accused of causing the death of Olivia S. Thompson of Salem in the Nov. 9 traffic crash

Additionally, 17 secret indictments were issued by the panel, which met over a two-day period. Those indictments will be released as the indictments are served.

- The superseding indictment was for Damarlon M. Wise, 24, Garfield Street, East Liverpool, charged with carrying a concealed weapon, having a weapon while under a disability and two counts trafficking in drugs. Initially, Wise had been bound over from Columbiana County Municipal Court on the carrying a concealed weapon charge alone and indicted by the grand jury in December on the single charge. The additional three charges are the reason for the superseding indictment.

According to court documents, Wise allegedly was found by police with a loaded .38-caliber Colt handgun outside Joe's Bar in Wellsville on Nov. 17. Wise is prohibited from possessing firearms due to a prior felony conviction for drug trafficking. Court documents also allege on the same date, Wise had cocaine and marijuana, which both appeared prepared for resale.

- Melissa A. Dickson, 26, Crestview Road, Columbiana, is charged with two counts of illegal conveyance of a drug of abuse onto the grounds of a detention facility. She is alleged to have tried to bring Buprenorphine into the county jail on both Oct. 9 and 10.

- Chris Hicks, 28, Erie Street, East Liverpool, is charged with two counts of trafficking in drugs. Hicks is alleged to have heroin and marijuana, which appeared to be prepared for resale, in his possession on Nov. 5.

- Glen D. Bates Jr., 27, Bradshaw Avenue, East Liverpool, is charged with trafficking in drugs for allegedly having cocaine apparently intended for resale in his possession on Nov. 16.

- Cody W. Harmon, 24, South Main Street, Columbiana, is charged with trafficking in drugs and theft. On Nov. 14, Harmon is accused of having marijuana and prescription drugs, which had been taken from Anthony Altomare.

- Robert E. Lee, 49, Rocky Run Road, Wellsville, is charged with felonious assault. According to court documents, on Nov. 13 Lee used a motor vehicle to attempt to seriously harm Anthony Sevek by ramming Sevek's vehicle from behind. Sevek had been stopped at a stop sign and the vehicle collision reportedly happened after an altercation in Lee's driveway.

- Randy S. Ammon, 42, McKee Street, East Liverpool, is charged with breaking and entering and possessing criminal tools. Court documents allege Ammon used stealth to enter the Wash N Dry Laundromat on St. Clair Avenue on Nov. 27 and brought with him a backpack, hammer, screwdriver, spud bar, gloves and a head lamp device.

- Harold B. Bell Jr., 50, Maple Street, Salem, is charged with OVI after authorities claim he was driving while under the influence on Dec. 4. He already has a 2008 felony OVI conviction.

- Dirk S. Weston, 59, state Route 164, Lisbon, is charged with assault for allegedly harming Patrolman Steven Thomas of the Salineville Police Department on Dec. 12. Weston reportedly repeatedly threatened to take a gun from Thomas, threatened to kill Thomas and attempted to strangle Thomas with handcuffs while Weston was in custody.